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Youth Programs
PRESIDENT & SOUTHWEST DELEGATE Hey y’all! My name is Ava Smedley and I am the 2025 AzRHyA President and NRHyA International Liaison! I am from Peoria but ride in Scottsdale, AZ with my trainer Abby Cosenza. This is my fourth year of competing for AzRHA and it has been amazing! I am in my senior year of high school but graduated in august and am now getting my bachelors degree in business! I am so grateful for this opportunity and can’t wait to help bring more youth into this wonderful association! I am so thankful to be able to be on the board with so many wonderful youth and I can’t wait for all of us to work together! I am currently getting my bachelors degree and am excited to use all of my skills I am gaining through it to help get more youth involved and excited for every show! I can’t wait to continue meeting more wonderful people and making new memories!
VICE PRESIDENT & SOUTHWEST DELEGATE Hi, my name is Victoria McClure and I am 13 years old. I have been showing in AZRHA for nine years. I have served twice as treasurer and this is my second year as vice president. I enjoy organizing fundraisers for our youth scholarship and hosting youth events at the shows. Besides reining, I also compete in cutting and reined cow horse. Serving as a youth officer and delegate for NRHA is helping me to understand the industry and grow my leadership skills. My goal is to ride for a college equestrian team as a D1 athlete. When I am not riding, I enjoy reading, baking, ice-skating, interior design, and volunteering at church.
SECRETARY Hi, my name is Reese Brien, and I am 13 years old. I have been showing in AZRHA for 6 years, and look forward to more. I have a horse named Georgie who is a 6 year old gelding. I am secretary for the AZRHA youth group and I am so excited to become more involved with the youth group. Some things I like to do when I am not riding my horse, are designing, reading, hanging out with friends, and baking.
TREASURER Hi I’m Everlee Leyva, I’m 15 years old and I’m from Scottsdale, Arizona. I have been showing in the AzRHA Para Reining for the past two year and I have loved every second of it. The reason why I love being a part of the AzRHyA is because it gives me an opportunity to help the youth. I really enjoy being a part of the horse show experience and I can’t wait to see what I can accomplish this year.
Grant Berg Scholarship
SOUTHWEST DELEGATE HI! My name is Maggie Robinson. I am a junior in high school and am committed to the Auburn Equestrian Team to continue my education and riding career. I have been riding since I was five and really got into reiners when I was twelve. I travel between riding reiners in Arizona with Dan Huss and back home in Nebraska with my Western All-Around horse. This is my second year showing with the AZRHA and I already feel like part of the family. As a delegate I look forward to being AZRHYA’s voice on a national level. I want to continue to encourage connection among our youth and grow the youth organization.
SOUTHWEST DELEGATE Hi everyone, my name is Hallie Blair and I’m a senior in high school. I live in Albuquerque, NM but I train in Scottsdale with Muehlstaetter Performance Horses. I’ve been member of AZRHyA since 2019. This fall I will be attending the University of Georgia as a member on their D1 equestrian team. Currently, I’m a delegate for AZRHyA and I’m beyond excited to work with all the youth members this show season. I’m hoping to bring more youth into our great organization.
JUNIOR OFFICER Hi, my name is JP McClure and I am 10 years old. I’ve been involved in AZRHA my whole life. Riding reining and cutting horses takes up a lot of my time, but I have quite a few other hobbies, including skiing, fishing, hunting, camping, golf, and working with wood and metal in my shop. Over the last year I have started my own custom knife company. My biggest accomplishment outside of the show pen is earning my black belt in Dutch Muay Thai. My favorite part of AZRHYA is competing in the Ride-a-Buck and the freestyle.
JUNIOR OFFICER Meet Westin Leyva, a 10-year-old with a big love for animals, technology, and all things coding! Whether he’s spending time with his family’s horses, tinkering with new tech, or learning the ropes of coding, he’s always up for an adventure. As a new member of the AZRHA Youth Board, he’s beyond excited to be involved, connect with other young riders, and help make a difference in the reining community!